Two facts to keep in mind about the just-released Milwaukee Archdiocese documents

Two facts to keep in mind about the just-released Milwaukee Archdiocese documents

1) According to BishopAccountability.org, there are 66 proven, admitted, and credibly accused predators within the Milwaukee Archdiocese.

(This number does not include the perhaps dozens of relative order predators who have lived or worked--or still live or work--in the Milwaukee Archdiocese now.)

Yet after decades of secrecy and years of legal wrangling, Milwaukee Archdiocese finally released some files yesterday on 42 accused priests.

That's just 64% of the known child molesting clerics in the Archdiocese. (This of course doesn't count any of the hundreds of child molesting clerics who are or have been in the archdiocese but who work for religious orders.)

2) At the same time, Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki claims that “no organization in the world does more to combat sexual abuse of minors than the Catholic Church in the United States.”

Really? "No organization does more?"

Imagine a doctor saying "You've got cancer and I'll surgically remove just 64% of it and let's just see what happens." Or a police department saying "We've arrested 64% of the members of a violent street gang, and we're stopping here."

And remember, Listecki only identified the 64% because he was afraid a judge would order him to identify 100%.

And remember, there's a difference between acknowledging old child sex crimes and cover ups and preventing current and future child sex crimes and cover ups.